Centrifugal casting apparatus

ABSTRACT

A mould is supported in a fluidised bed within a tank which is rotatable to centrifugally cast molten metal introduced into it.

United States Patent [191 Chapman Feb. 12, 1974 I CENTRIFUGAL CASTING APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Roland Philip Chapman, 9 Harrison [56] References Cited Rd., Headless CIOSS, Redditch, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS England I,225,529 3/I97I Great Britain Filed. p 25 1972 1,199,836 7/1970 Great Britain Appl. No.: 291,551

Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 2, 1972 Great Britain 45976/72 U.S. Cl. 164/292, 164/114 Int. Cl 822d 13/10 Field of Search 164/114, 118, 286, 292, 293;

425/DIG. 20

Primary ExaminerJ. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner,lohn E. Roethel Attorney, Agent, or FirmBrisebois & Kruger [57] ABSTRACT A mould is supported in a fluidised bed within a tank which is rotatable to centrifugally cast-molten meta] introduced into it.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures CENTRIFUGAL CASTING APPARATUS The present invention relates to centrifugal casting and is in fact a modification of the arrangement disclosed in our UK Patent No. l 225 529.

In that earlier patent a fluidising bed conveyor is disclosed for supporting a shell mould into which molten metal is then poured to form the casting.

According to the present invention a circular fluidising tank is carried in a support and means are associated with the tank by which it can be rotated so that a mould can be supported within the tank by a fluidising bed and rotated so that molten metal poured into the mould will be centrifugally cast.

According to a first feature of the invention the means for rotating the fluidising tank comprises a fixed driving wheel and a ram which is operable to move the tank into contact with the fixed driving wheel to thereby rotate the tank.

1 How the invention may be carried out will now be described, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:-

FIG. 1 is an end view of centrifugal casting apparatus according to the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

In the apparatus disclosed in our UK Patent No. 1 225 5 29 the bed of sand in a fluidising tank supports a ceramic shell mould while molten metal is poured into it, the tank being rectangular in shape.

5 and a ram 9 carrying two wheels 10 is operable to press the tank 1 into contact with the friction wheel 7 in order to cause the latter to rotate the tank 1 about its axis 11.

On reaching the casting station the tank 1 is spun up to a suitable speed and whilst spinning a metal billet is induction melted above the tank in a melting box in the manner disclosed in our earlier UK Patent No. l 199 836, the metal when molten then being released to fill the spinning mould carried in the bed of sand within the tank 1.

In carrying out the invention any suitable refractory material, as well as sand, could be employed to form In the present invention the fluidising tank instead of being rectangular is circular and means are provided to rotate the circular-fiuidising tank about its axis so that molten metal poured into the shell mould will be centrifugally cast.

In the drawing the circular fluidising tank is indicated at l and it is carried on a trolley 2 which has an air connection 3 by which sand contained within the tank 1 can be fluidised. The trolley carries wheels 4 by which it runs along two parallel tracks 5.

The means for rotating the tank 1 comprise a variable speed electric motor 6 which drives a friction wheel 7 through gearing 8.

the fluidised bed in the tank ll. Furthermore, other arrangements, than that previously described, could be used for rotating the tank. For example, a ram could be provided on each side of the tank, which would remain static, the two rams operating to move the friction elements into contact with'the tank in order to rotate it. In a further modification the tank could be rotated prior to arriving at the casting station and it could be maintained spinning during casting and whilst cooling. This could be effected by using a plurality of drive arrangements of the kind described earlier or by having a driving arrangement which travels with the tank. It would also be possible to have a combination of both fixed and moving drive arrangements.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for casting metal which comprises:

a. a tank carried in a support;

b. means for creating a fluidised bed within the tank to support a mould; and

0. means to rotate the tank and thereby centrifugally cast molten metal introduced into the mould.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for rotating the tank comprises a fixed driving wheel and a ram which is operable to move the tank into contact with the fixed driving wheel to thereby rotate the tank.

3. An investment casting plant which includes apparatus as claimed in claim 1 for supporting a ceramic shell mould into which molten metal is to be cast.

* IIK UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,791,139 Dated February 12, 1971+ Inv n 0 ROLAND PHILIP CHAPMAN It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

[73] Assignee: British Leyland (Austin-Morris) I Limited, Birmingham, England, a

corporation of Great Britain Signed and sealed this 23rd day of July 197E.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PC4050 (169) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 1.5. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: IQQ 0-366-331, 

1. Apparatus for casting metal which comprises: a. a tank carried in a support; b. means for creating a fluidised bed within the tank to support a mould; and c. means to rotate the tank and thereby centrifugally cast molten metal introduced into the mould.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for rotating the tank comprises a fixed driving wheel and a ram which is operable to move the tank into contact with the fixed driving wheel to thereby rotate the tank.
 3. An investment casting plant which includes apparatus as claimed in claim 1 for supporting a ceramic shell mould into which molten metal is to be cast. 